The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1887-02-27

ever happens Olu tommy venus pIosl
maunderings about his wrongs will never lead
TO anything. MOI he's no use. IL quarrclsomc,
mischief making Mrs. Greer would 20 just
little further We might have dramatic situa-
tion; hut she won't, and I've used her up, as
far as she goes As to Alice Ncwton's love
story, I've got all i can out OF that-threc vci-
sions alrcady'
The balcony was In shadow, and part OF the
lawn but the road beyond, winding down
through the village, and the rising ground OPP
posite terminating In wave OF hills, lay white
In the moonlight. The bells In the old church
tower were haltingly Ginning the hour of twelve,
with what was understood In the village to be
few bars Of the Old Hundrcth, and dog In
some neighboring farmyard was bowling Its dis
approval, when the thread of the young girls.
thoughts was suddenly snapped asuudcr. She
bent curiously forward, her gaze directed
toward bend In the road, some hundred yards
or so distant. Was something going to happen
at last?
A woman had come into view, and was run
ming with fleet steps toward the rcctory, look
ing back every now and again as she ran.
Gladys stood gazing wonderngly at the advanc-
ing figure. In quiet sleepy Grccnthorpc peo-
Pile did not run about at night, and In that wild
way.
Tn she came, until she reached the rcctory
gate. Then she stopped, tried to open II, and,
finding II locked, shook II with both hands, as
II In desperation.
What did she want? Had she come there for
assistance? Something dreadful In the village
an accident-fireP Gladys hurricdly turned to
with one foot ON the step She had heard
other sounds, hurrying footsteps, and raised
voices, and now bchcld three or four men aud
woman running round the bend In the road
The woman had also heard. She pushed some
thing abe had been carrying between the Iron
bars, and, moment before the others came In
sight, climbed the high gatc--a feat of no small
diniculty-and dropped into the rcctory
grounds, crouching low among the laurels:
She was trying to escape from the Others
What had happened? Gladys ran down tho
steps and across the lawn toward the woman.
who had turned a few yards TO the left out OF
sight from the gate As she drew nearer the
woman crouclied lower, endeavoring appnr-
emily to escape notice; but, finding she was
seen, sprang up again, and calculated In an ex-
"No, no." hurriedly put In Gladys. "Do
not fear. You are safe-no harm can come to
you here. What were they going to-"
The woman raised a trembling finger to- her
lips. Tho pursuers were close upon them
now--peering through the bars of the gate on
to the lawn, part Of which was bright with
moonlight and part In deep shadow.
''Do you think IL is likely ~ said one
"No; II is locked you see," trying the gate,
"anl she could not climb IT,"
~ don't feel SO sure" doubtfully said an
other, in voice which sounded familiar to
Gladys's cars although she was at the moment
too much absorbed to give more than passing
thought to II. ~ know what can be done In
that way on emergency
"Impossible ~ decidedly.
"On, then, or she will catch the night mail
and escape us after all "
The woman clutched Gladys's arm with a
tighter hold and stopped lower, although they
could not he seen where they were from the
gate There were the sounds of running foot
steps again, and as they died away Gladys muir
INJURED, beginning to look n little doubtfully at
the other.
"what has happened' Why were they run
ming after you ?"
II was afraid-so afraid" hesitatingly md
absently murmured the woman, as though still
listening.
"Why?"
"Because-they are desperate men; and--and
am only woman, and-alone. DO you live
here9 ?" peerlng with eager scrutiny at Gladys In
the dim light.
ayes; my mother and and an old servant.
You are safe here"
The woman appeared to he hurredly de-
batting with herself, and still in great dread, her
eyes shifting nervously from Gladys to the
gate. Then she abruptly inquired:
'How far is 1t to the railway station ~
'About a mile along the road, in straight
line" replied Gladys.
"And they are gone there! No, dare not
venture!" Again she reflected, coming
Gladys's face the while. "You are lady"
Not quite able to come to the same con
clusion with regard to the other, and unacclis-
toned to say what she did not feel, Gladys
simply replied: "My father was Rector here. ~
twenty, and was tall slight, and good-look-
ing-evcn handsome, after the type; but the
well-shaped mouth was hard, not to say coarse,
in expression, and the large dark eyes some
what too keen and shifting. She was plainly
dressed, wearing close black bonnet and n
nhar.r There
something about herself, or her manner, which
Jared upon Gladys. But she would not allow
herself to be critical. The other was woman-
in trouble; and that was enough.
'Were they going to rob youY"
The woman broke into short discordant
laugh, but Immediately grew grave again, gaz-
ing silently at Gladys, us If debating with her
self once more.
Why did she look in that strange way--why
did she laugh II she were in trouble wondered
Gladys, as silently returning her gaze with an
uncauny feeling Of she knew not what. Sud
denly her fears took shape; terrible suspicion,
aroused, perhaps, by the others laugh, darted
into her mind. One thought had suggested
which had sounded familiar to her was that of
a DR.. Harland, who kept private asylum just
outside the village. After moments re-
Election she said, making great effort to com
mand herself and appear to speak in quiet
natural tone:
"Thc voice of one of those In pursuit of you
seemed familiar to me. II was that of DIR. Har-
land, who lives ut the-who receives patients
Do you know him ?"
.Mad people, do you mcan?" She was ST.
lent few moments, then slowly recommended
"You are thinking that am one of them, and
have made my escape"
At loss how to reply, Gladys unconsciously
betrayed what was In her mind shrinking back
little as she murmured, with whitening face
~ thought that perhaps"
y.,u aIu't ha nf frnt M n 9 n n
are. lfevera woman had her wits about her I've
got mine this minute! ~ She paused again, and
after moments thought seemed to come to
some decision. "You look the sort to judge fol
help. Well," after another keen look, ~ will
trust you. have been shut up there and I've
made my escape. / should never have got free
II hadn't, though I'm no more mad than you
are."
"But DIR. Harland is n good man. l know
to-"
"No, oh no! I've nothing to say agains
him." hurriedly. at was-the others-the,
that gave the certificates s-who were to blame. v
"But-I do not understand What motive
could they have hadP'
"PeOple are sometimes treated MS insane whcr
they are not, you know. Didn't you hear abou
that poor lady that was put away not long ago y
"Yes, heard OF that" replied Gladys. recol
lecting something of the kind, and It's having
property of the lady kept In durancc. "But DIR
Harand would not
81 told you IL was the others. lie though
that what they said about my being insane wa'
true-bccausc- because kept to the story; ant
its SO dreadful No wonder he can't believe
when those that put me with him say IT'S jus
that Im insane about, and that only fame!
what occurred"
"YOu saw something done something dread
full ?" calculated Gladys.
"Yes." The woman paused moment, a
though listening again, then hurriedly went on
~ saw 1t done. The poor gentleman was on {
vlsit-and-it was a summer night, and-I wa'
in the-the garden, as 1t might be here, toto
get breath of fresh air. Hooked I'm at the din
ing-room window. They had been playing
some gambling game, and--had given him tO'
much wine. They made him sign some papers
and-then oh, cannot tell you ~
"Do you mean-did they kill him?" cjacu
lated Gladys, with dilating eyes.
81 saw II Oh, II was too dreadful After
ward got hysterlcal, and cried out about wha
] had seem and-then-to save themselves, the,
pretended had lost my senses, and got the doc
tors to sign paper that had, !"
"Ah. cruel, wicked What you must hav'
suffered" said Gladys, with look Of mingled
horror and pity.
"You can see now why was so anxious t'